Dental Insurance
Patients are frustrated and confused by their dental insurance from time to time, so we thought we'd try to explain here what we can about the process...
Firstly, keep in mind that dental insurance is usually only meant to cover a small portion of your dental needs. It was never intended to work like medical insurance. Your dental insurance is simply a contract between your employer and the insurance company. Your coverage is determined by how much your employer was willing to spend when they negotiated with the insurance company. Basically, there is a “laundry list” of covered and non-covered procedures that your employer selects from.
This list has absolutely nothing to do with the need or importance of any given procedure. In most policies, there are important procedures that are not designated as covered treatment, simply because your employer did not negotiate that level of coverage for you.
You may be surprised to know that a large percent of Americans never visit a dentist or do so only in severe emergencies (about 40%) These people often have dental insurance! This is exactly where the insurance companies make their money: Your employer pays for a policy that will cover everyone, and the insurance company makes money when a number of people do not go to the dentist. Based on this arrangement, it is better for the insurance company to have fewer people going to the dentist and/or limitations placed on the dentist for the kind of care he/she provides.
If you are reading this material, you are probably someone highly interested in their dental health and the cost of health care for your family. Check out the navigation menu on the upper left side of this page for a better understanding of the issues.
Contact us if they do not help you with your inquiry.